The morning sun filtered through the grimy windows of the Leaky Cauldron as Max sat hunched over a rickety wooden table, a notebook open before him. His fingers absentmindedly tapped against the aged parchment, his quill hovering just above the page. He had spent most of the night refining his magic, and now it was time for the next step, getting into Hogwarts.
Easier said than done.
He had already gone through multiple possibilities in his head, but none of them seemed feasible. Sneaking into a magical school filled with some of the most powerful witches and wizards wasn't exactly be an easy task. Every plan he had scribbled onto the page was followed by an angry cross-out.
"Can't just walk through the front gates—security is too tight," he muttered to himself. "I'm not officially enrolled, so even if I somehow got in, I'd be questioned immediately. Disguising myself as a student? Too risky. Polyjuice Potion? Impossible to get my hands on."
Across the table, Echo hovered lazily in the air, his divine form radiating a faint glow as he observed Max with mild amusement. "For someone who prides himself on adaptability, you sure are making this difficult."
Max let out an exasperated sigh. "Excuse me for not having a foolproof plan to infiltrate a fortress of magic."
Echo chuckled. "So, what's your plan so far?"
Max leaned back, chewing on the tip of his quill. "If Harry could sneak into Hogwarts using the Marauder's Map, then maybe I can find another way."
"You're thinking of using the same route?" Echo asked, intrigued.
Max shook his head. "Harry used the secret passage under the Whomping Willow to get into the castle, but that's too risky. The tree would crush me before I even got close. I need another way."
He pulled out a crude map of the school grounds he had sketched based on everything he knew from books and rumors. "There's the Forbidden Forest, but that's a death trap unless I want to get eaten. The Black Lake? No way. I'd need gillyweed or some other breathing aid, and I don't have access to that. The best option might be the Hogwarts Express."
Echo tilted his head. "You plan to sneak onto the train?"
Max nodded, a small smirk forming. "Exactly. The train is the only guaranteed way students get to Hogwarts. If I can slip aboard unnoticed, I'll have a straight shot to the castle."
Echo considered it. "That could work. But how do you plan to get onto Platform 9¾ without getting caught?"
Max tapped his quill against the parchment. "That's the tricky part. Platform 9¾ is hidden from Muggles, but I can't just walk through the barrier like the students do. I'd need to either find another way in or sneak in with the crowd."
He paused, his mind working through the details. "The station will be full of students and parents on the day of departure. If I time it right, I can blend in. The key is not drawing attention to myself."
Echo smirked. "That's assuming no one notices a random extra student sneaking onto the train."
Max rolled his eyes. "That's where magic comes in. A basic disillusionment charm could help, or maybe even a minor cloaking spell. I'm still working on that part."
Echo crossed his arms. "Alright, let's say you get onto the train. What then?"
Max grinned. "Then it's just about staying hidden. The train ride is long enough for me to find an empty compartment and avoid any unnecessary encounters."
Echo hummed in thought. "And if something goes wrong?"
Max's grin didn't fade. "Then I improvise."
---
The rest of the day was spent refining the plan. Max made several trips around Diagon Alley, gathering whatever small supplies he could afford. A few magical trinkets, a handful of enchanted parchments, and a cheap secondhand cloak that he hoped would help him blend in.
He focused on what he did have, his growing mastery of mana manipulation. If he could apply the principles of his newly created shield spell, he might be able to craft a temporary concealment barrier.
That night, he sat on the floor of his small room, his wand resting in his palm as he focused his energy. He visualized the way mana flowed around his body, how it shaped itself into a defensive shield. But instead of forming a solid barrier, he willed it to bend light around him, making himself less noticeable.
The first few attempts were a disaster. The energy flickered unevenly, distorting the space around him like a rippling heat wave. Not exactly subtle. The second attempt he almost burned himself trying to bend light.
"Alright," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "Again."
Hours passed, but progress was slow. Still, he refused to give up. He had less than two days before the Hogwarts Express departed, and he needed to be ready.
---
Morning came too soon, and Max found himself standing outside King's Cross Station, his heartbeat steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. Students bustled about with their families, trunks piled high on carts as they made their way toward the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10.
Echo floated beside him, invisible to the human eye. "Alright, kid. This is it. You sure you're ready?"
Max took a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be."
He watched as a group of students rushed toward the barrier, vanishing through it in pairs. Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his bag and merged into the crowd. He moved with purpose, mimicking the confidence of the other students. He picked a family with a younger child ,one who looked nervous and positioned himself just behind them, using them as cover.
As they neared the barrier, Max reached deep into his mana reserves and activated his concealment technique. It wasn't perfect, but he could feel the light around him shift, making him slightly harder to notice.
The family in front of him stepped through, and without hesitation, Max followed.
For a brief moment, he felt a strange resistance, like walking through thick fog. Then, suddenly, he was through. The bustling sound of Platform 9¾ filled his ears. The scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express loomed ahead, steam billowing into the crisp morning air.
Max allowed himself a small, triumphant grin. Phase one of the plan was a success. Now, he just had to get onto the train without drawing attention.
Echo's voice echoed in his mind. "Smooth so far. Let's see if you can keep it up."
Max exhaled slowly, stepping onto the train. The real challenge was about to begin.